Combination post hole digger and earth remover



Nov. 27, 1951 L. D. VOGEL COMBINATION POST HOLE DIGGER AND EARTH REMOVER Filed Dec. 2, 19

Lew/s Voge/ lI/l/l//// INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 27, 1951 COMBINATION POST HOLE DIGGER AND EARTH REMOVER Lewis D. Vogel, Rock Rapids, Iowa Application December 2, 1947; Serial No. 789,150

This invention relates provements in post hole diggers and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a post hole digger including novel and improved means for digging or boring a hole or the like and simultaneously removing the dirt from the hole being dug. 6

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a combination hole digger and dirt remover and embodying novel and improved means for operatively connecting the same to the power take-01f of a tractor or the like in a con venient manner. l

A further object of the present invention is to provide a post hole digger that is extremely small and compact in structure and which may be quickly and readily manipulated for boring post holes or the like in a selected vertical or vertically inclined position in the ground surface.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a post hole digger that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensive to manufactura and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same-is intended. g j

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the present post hole digger applied to the power take-01f of a tractor, and with parts of said digger broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view taken substantially on the plane of the section line 2-2 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral l represents a preferably annular cup or dish-like housing generally, having a removable closure I2 secured thereto by fasteners or the like [4. Projecting outwardly from the lower wall l6 of the housing I0, is a journal sleeve I8 that rotatably supports the upper inner end 20 of a tubular shaft 22 having a spiral blade 24 rigidly secured thereon.

Journalled for rotation in the tubular shaft 22, is a driven shaft 26, the lower end 28 of which to new and useful im- "4 Claimsa (c1. ass-19.1)

projects outwardly from the lower end 38 of the tubular shaft 22. A support plate 32 removably secured on the lower end 38 of the shaft 26, rigidly supports a pair of arcuate earth digging members or blades 34. The upper end 36 of the driven gear 42 directly opposes a further bevel gear 48 that is fixed on the upper end 38 of the tubular shaft 22, and which is provided with a hub portion 50 that is rotatably mounted in an annular recess 52 provided in the bottom wall l6 of the housing It].

Projecting outwardly from the annular flanged portion 54 of the housing [0, is a sleeve 56 preferably integrally formed with the housing Ill. The axial bore provided in the sleeve aligns an opening'58 provided in the flanged portion 54. Journalled for rotation in the sleeve 56 and. the opening 58, is a cylindrical bar 6|] that fixedly sup-- ports a reduced bevel gear 62 that intermeshes with the gears 42 and 46. It should be noted, that the gears 42 and 48 are so arranged that the same will be actuated by the gear 62, to effect an opposite rotation of the driven shaft 26 and the tubular shaft 22, in order to reduce the normal vibration prevalent in the housing [0 during the use of the present post hole digger.

The numeral 64 represents a flexible driving shaft that is loosely embraced by a flexible protective and wear covering 66. A socket 68 fixed on one end of the flexible shaft 64 is provided with an internal groove or key-way (not shown) that slidably engages the key 18 fixedly carried by the outer end 12 of the cylindrical bar 60. A fastener 14 is employed for securing the socket 68 to the outer end 12 of the bar 60.

Removably secured for rotation with the power take-off shaft 16 of a tractor 18, is a sleeve that rotatably supports the free end 82 of the flexible shaft 64. The outer toothed edge 84 of this sleeve 80 is normally interdigitated with the toothed inner edge 86 of a ring 88 that is provided with a tubular shank 90 which is slidably mounted on the shaft 64 but which is also fixed thereon to rotate with the flexible shaft 64. Adjustably mounted on the shaft 64, is a lock nut or the like 82, between which and the ring 86 there is biased a coil spring 84 that normally retains the edges 84 and 86 in an engaged position for rotation of the flexible driving shaft 64 by the power take-off shaft 16. Should the blade 24 or blades 34 engage a relatively hard element or surface during the digging of a hole, the toothed edges 84 and 86 will tend to disengage, thereby sounding an alarm or effecting a noise that will indicate to the operator that-theblades 24 or 34. are engaging, other than: a soft ground. surface.

Rigidly secured to the closure I2 is a pair of elongated handles 86 and 88, the longitudinal-15 axes of which are disposed at right anglesto'each,

other and to the longitudinal axis of'the tubulara shaft 22, to facilitate the convenient handling of the device for digging post holes or the like.

Obviously, the blades 34 will diginto theground surface and the auger or blade 24will remove the dirt dug by the blades 34 without permitting-the; dirt to fall back into the hole provided by the hendedby the .spiritof the invention as herein describedandthe sconev of the appended claims.

Hav g? describedthe invention what is claimed s ew. iSI.

1. Aposthole digger. comprising anauger having a tubular shaft, a driven shaft journalledfor rotation in. said. tubular shaft, a housing in which theupper ends of; said driven shaft and said tubular shaft.are rotatablymounted, hand gripping. meansjc'arriedby. said housing, gear means, disposed withinsaidhousing and operatively cone.

nected to-saidtubular. shaft. and. said driven shaft. f on rotation of; said' auger in an opposite direction 4 from said driven shaft, an earth digging member fixed on said-driven'shaft, and means operatively connecting said gear means to the power take-01f of a tractor, said gear means. including a drive beveled gear carried by the driving shaft, 9. first driven beveled gear carried by said tubular shaft, and a second driven beveled gear on said driven shaft and arranged oppositely than said first gear, said-,driuemg ears both engaging said drive beveled ear:

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means includes a flexible shaft.

3. Apostholedigger comprising an auger having; a tubular shaft, a casing rotatably supporting one end of the tubular shaft, a driven shaft -journale'd for rotation in said tubular shaft, a pair qfearth, digging blades carried by the driven shaft, a driving shaft carried by the casing supportingta beveled gear that is located in the casing, a beveled gear carried by each of the driven shaft. and; the; tubular.- shaft and positioned in he: casin asaidzbeveledigears, carried by; each of heditiven: and tubular shafts. engaging said first mcnfienedbeveledgear for rotationof said driven haftandsaidtubular Shaft; and a flexible shaft opehativelw connecting; said; driven shaft to the power take-off shaft of a tractor.

4-... Th combination. of claim. 3 and a clutch mechanism; nntrollin isaid flexible. shaft;

V LEWIS. 13.. VOGEL.

BEFERENc s CIT-ED The following references are of record in: the file of thislpatent r UNITED." STA ES PATENTS Number Name Date 9;994. Zuber- Dec. 5, 1893 750,840 Fox Feb. 2. 1904 75.8381 RQ81Q S0 May ,1 0.

1,113,217..- Zelenay. Oct/13,1914. 1,605,896., Eoltz .p Oct. 26,.1926.

2,016,661], Crowell Oct. 8, 1935 2,107,958. Pribyl' Y Feb. 8, 1938 2,217,300, Temp1eton. Oct. 8,1940 7 2,250,670 Joy July 29, 1941- Bioberts -et a1 Dec. 20,1949 

